Loved Ones
by MiladyGirl
Summary: JJ returns home after a very tough case. Established JJ/Blake, so femslash. Oneshot. Fluff.


**A/N**

Okay, the other day I spent about nine hours straight in the ER. Not for my own sake though, and it was nowhere near as bad as it could have been, but nine hours in the ER... Luckily, I had my notepad and a pen, so I decided to write something to keep my sanity, or what's left of it anyway. This is the slightly edited and finished version of that drabble.

Background: Blake and JJ are an established couple, and as a result, Blake has left the BAU and gone back to teaching fulltime. JJ is returning from a particularly tough case. Yeah, that's pretty much the premises.

And yes, before anyone asks, I'm still working on Old Wounds. :)

* * *

The keys rattle in the lock, the door opens and JJ drags herself inside. After pushing the door shut behind her, she simply drops everything on the floor; coat, purse, overnight bag, keys. Normally Alex frowns upon sloppiness in any way, but this once Alex is simply going to have to suck it up, because JJ has no energy left to care. She takes a deep breath and is just about to call out to tell her fiancée that she's home, but before she can speak, Alex does.

"Hi honey," she says and closes the distance between them in a few steps. She looks into JJ's eyes, correctly reads the mindset behind them, and pulls her into a warm, strong embrace. JJ fights the tears, but she is too tired, too relieved to be home, to win the battle against them, and she bursts out crying.

"It's okay," Alex's soft voice soothes her. "Just let it out. I could tell from when you called me on the plane back that it was coming. I've got you. You're safe. You're home."

JJ's entire body shakes as the built-up and trapped emotions finally find their way out through tears and sobs, but Alex is steady as a rock, allowing her to break down in the protection of her arms. They both know that no matter how strong and resilient you are, there comes a time when you crack, if only for a few minutes, and all you can do when that moment comes is to let it happen.

As the sobs begin to calm down and JJ is pulling herself back together, Alex lets go of her, but slowly.

"You know what I think you need?" she whispers.

"A new job?" JJ replies and a faint smile plays on her lips as she wipes away her tears with both hands, sniffling. Alex smiles.

"Well, I know you'll regret those words in the morning anyway, so no. Not a new job. I was thinking more along the lines of a hot bath and a glass of wine."

JJ looks back at her and more tears begin to overflow her eyes, but this time it's tears of gratitude. She's not normally this emotional, but cases involving children gets underneath her skin in a way nothing else can. "Oh God, yes, I need that."

"Mm, that's what I thought. Come on, let's get you upstairs."

"What about the…" JJ gestures to the things she dropped on the floor. Alex gives it a brief glance and waves it off.

"I'll pick it up once you're in the bath."

A momentary sparkle in her eyes confuses JJ - she hopes that Alex doesn't have any naughty ideas for tonight, because as much as JJ usually enjoys their lovemaking, she is much too tired for anything in that respect tonight.

As they make their way up the stairs, Alex says;

"Oh, by the way, take a look in the bedroom. I have a surprise that you might want to see right now."

JJ sighs.

"Alex, I'm really not…"

Alex smiles, reading her mind once again.

"I know you're not. It's nothing like that."

JJ frowns, but she is too worn-out to play twenty questions, and when Alex is in a secretive mood, it's easier to just humour her. JJ peeks into the bedroom and at first she just sees the bed - which indeed looks inviting, but hardly a surprise - then she spots the tiny figure in the middle of the bed, tangled up in both covers.

"Henry! But he was supposed to be with Will…"

"Yes, he was," Alex says and shrugs a little. "I called Will and asked if he would mind dropping Henry off two days earlier, because you probably needed to hug him tonig..."

JJ kisses Alex, efficiently shutting her up, then rushes to the bed and climbs into it, crawling up next to her son. "Hey baby," she whispers. He wakes up, looking dazed for a moment before giving her a big smile.

"Hi mommy, are you home now?"

"Yes, buddy, mommy's home now," she says and hugs him tight. "Oh I've missed you so much!"

"Missed you too mommy," he mumbles, but his eyes keeps closing. He yawns and snuggles into the pillows again. "Alex let me have pancakes for dinner," he declares in a sleepy voice.

" _Henry_ , that was a secret," Alex scolds him, but she is smiling. JJ strokes her son's forehead, watching as he slowly drifts back to sleep, and then turns to Alex.

"Can I have pancakes for dinner too?" she asks. Alex laughs quietly.

"Of course you can. You go and take that bath, and I'll go downstairs and make a second round."

"I love you Alex."

"I love you too," Alex says simply. "Don't fall asleep in the tub."

"You're the one who keeps doing that," JJ objects, but Alex is unfazed.

"Yes, which is why I know how unpleasant it is."

JJ gets out of bed, careful so not to wake Henry again, and walks up to her fiancée, leaning her head against her shoulder.

"You didn't put him to bed in his room. Why not?"

"Because I know you're going to wake up at least once tonight and look for him. So I thought that if he sleeps in our bed, you might not have to wake him _and_ me up in the process."

The words sound very practical, but JJ is aware how difficult it has been for Alex to adapt to having a child in the house, and so this gesture is even sweeter to her than it may seem to others. She cups Alex's face in both hands and gives her a more thorough kiss.

"Thank you," she says. Alex nods and gives JJ's shoulder a gentle rub before going back downstairs to make those pancakes. For a moment JJ remains in the doorway, looking first at her partner and then at her son, and allows herself to feel secure in the knowledge that the two people she loves more than anything are at home, and that they're safe. And that she is right there with them.


End file.
